Major works are underway to boost Dubai’s rainwater drainage capacity and reduce flood risks in the future from extreme weather and climate-related challenges. This proactive approach follows April’s unprecedented rainfall, when the city received a year’s worth of rain in a day, causing disruptions across the emirate. In response, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved the Dh30 billion ‘Tasreef’ project in June that aims to increase the city’s drainage capacity by 700 per cent. A team has already begun work on the Tasreef project, which is set for completion by 2033. Meanwhile, improvements are being made to existing drainage systems to increase their capacity, said a senior official from Dubai Municipality. “Tasreef, a new project, will be a tunnel by gravitation,” Dr Tamer Al Hafez, a senior specialist in drainage projects at the Municipality, told Gulf News. A gravity-driven tunnel will ensure large volume of water flow without pumps, reducing operational and maintenance costs. Unlike the 10.3km tunnel launched in 2019 to drain rainwater from Expo Dubai, Al Maktoum International Airport City and Jebel Ali, the Tasreef project will cover all areas of Dubai. “Tasreef […]